Waqar Ali

Abstract Plant growth stimulating bacteria are very effective in immobilization of metals and reducing their translocation in plants through precipitation, and adsorption. A pot experiment was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of chitosan- and hematite-modified biochar and bacterial inoculations on the immobilization of nickel (Ni) in polluted soil under wheat cultivation. Application of modified biochars and inoculation with Pseudomonas putida significantly increased both wheat root and shoot dry matter yields but decreased Ni phytoextraction efficiency. The Ni concentration, translocation factor and uptake in wheat shoot and root significantly decreased the application of either modified or unmodified biochars. Bacterial inoculation significantly decreased mean translocation factor and also root and shoot concentration and the uptake Ni in the shoot. Chitosan-modified biochar was the most influential treatment in decreasing Ni uptake by wheat followed by P. putida inoculation treatment. The results demonstrated positive effects of chitosan modified biochar and inoculation with P. putida in increasing dry matter yield and decreasing Ni uptake in wheat grown on Ni-contaminated soil. According to the results of present study, modified biochars application and bacterial inoculation are influential treatments which prevent Ni toxicity probably.

Natural-based drugs are believed to be safe, effective and economical. Based on the medicinal importance of the genus Eryngium and unexplored nature of Eryngium caeruleum, we have evaluated its antidiabetic and antioxidant potentials. Both in-vitro and in-vivo assays have been carried out for antidiabetic assays. The antioxidant activity was determined by using different free radicals [i.e., 1,1-diphenyl,2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2-azinobis[3-ethylbenzthiazoline]-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS), and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)]. Moreover, different phytoconstituents were identified in the most active solvent fraction by GC-MS analysis. Furthermore, comparative fingerprints of methanolic extract and chloroform fraction were also analyzed via High Performance Liquid Chromatography coupled with Diode Array Detector (HPLC-DAD). The crude methanolic extract of E. caeruleum (Ec.Cr) and its sub-fractions [i.e., n-hexane (Ec.Hex), chloroform (Ec.Chf), ethyl acetate (Ec.EtAc), and aqueous (Ec.Aq) were ...

This research was conducted to generate trends and patterns of most common male and female cancers from 1984-2014 for the city population of Lahore Pakistan. Cancer incidence data gathered for different organs were processed through cleaning, integration, transformation, reduction and mining for ultimate representation. Risk of cancer appeared to be continuously increasing among both males and females. Overall, lymphomas and breast cancer are the most common neoplasm in males and females, respectively, in Lahore with almost the highest rates in the Asian Pacific region. The incidence of head and neck, brain, and lung cancers, as well as leukemia have rapidly increased among males, whereas, ovarian, cervix, head and neck and lymphomas have become more common among females. The present communication should be helpful for adequate strategic planning, identification of risk factors and taking appropriate prevention and control measures at the national level.

In polyglandular autoimmune (PGA) syndromes, there is immune dysfunction of two or more endocrine glands. Immunity mediated disorders of non-endocrine organs may also be seen. These syndromes are of two main types: type I and type II. We are reporting this case of a 32 years old lady who presented initially with hypothyroidism for many years and received thyroid replacement therapy. After that she was married and had children. After an interval of about seven years of the initial diagnosis of hypothyroidism, she was hospitalized in first trimester of pregnancy for severe vertigo, syncopal episodes and hypotension. She responded well to intravenous fluids and steroids. Further endocrine related, investigations revealed Addison's disease and the above episode were retrospectively diagnosed as Addisonian crisis. Thus the patient was diagnosed as Schmidt's Syndrome (Autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome type 2) since 2009.

Wheat grains of thirteen varieties were collected from different ecological regions of Pakistan. The variability of seed storage-proteins was analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). Electrophorogram for each variety were scored and Jaccard's similarity index (JSI) was calculated. Genetic diversity of wheat was evaluated by constructing the dendrogram for high molecular weight (HMW) and low molecular weight (LMW) gluten subunit bands. It is concluded that seed storage protein profiles could be useful markers in the studies of genetic diversity and classification of adapted cultivars, thereby improving the efficiency of wheat breeding programs in cultivar development especially in a developing country like Pakistan.

Thrombocytopenia is often seen in the patients of malaria infected with Plasmodium vivax. We studied patients admitted in hospital having coexisting thrombocytopenia and malaria, and recorded the response to anti-malarial therapy. In this cross-sectional descriptive study, a total of 120 patients admitted in medical ward with Plasmodium vivax malaria and co-existing thrombocytopenia were studied. Out of total 120 slide positive Malaria patients who had low platelet count (<150x10(9) /L), platelet count increased to ≥150x10(9) /L in 73 (60.8%) patients after five days of anti-malarial therapy while in 47 (39.2%) patients thrombocytopenia persisted. After ten days of anti-malarial therapy, platelet count in all the patients recovered to ≥ 150x10(9) L. None of the patients required platelet transfusion. In majority of the patients of Plasmodium vivax malaria having thrombocytopenia, platelet count returns to normal within five to ten days of start of anti-malarial treatment and nlat...

Despite recent advancements in diagnostic and treatment modalities, malaria is still one of the most prevalent human diseases with high mortality and morbidity. We described a case of 45 years old man with Plasmodium falciparum malaria primarily presenting with myocarditis. The possibility of malaria was Subsequently considered when he developed fever followed by signs of cerebral involvement. This happens to be a distinctly unusual presentation and we highlighted various features of this case. Thus in hyperendemic areas complicated Plasomdium falciparum malaria may present initially With atypical features and high index of suspicion may lead to prompt early aggressive antimalarial therapy and reduce the complications.